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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Caprichromis orthognathus.jpg Caprichromis orthognathus 'Senga Bay'.jpg
Previous pageCaprichromis orthognathus 'Senga Bay'
Genus: Caprichromis
Type locality: South West Arm of Lake Malawi.
Biotope: Sandy bottoms, intermediate habitat, and areas above rocks. Typically occurs in midwater, often off sandy beaches at depths around 15 m.
Geographic distribution: Lake-wide distribution in Lake Malawi and also present in Lake Malombe.
Typical adult size: Males up to about 20 cm total length. Females remain approximately 20% smaller.
Sexual dimorphism: Males grow larger than females and become strongly territorial. Females are smaller and less dominant.
Recommended aquarium size: Large aquarium required due to adult size and behavior (minimum 600 L recommended).
Aquarium setup: Spacious tank with open swimming areas. Sandy substrate combined with large rocks or boulders. Strong filtration and stable water parameters are essential. Only one male should be kept per aquarium.
Diet: Specialized paedophage. Feeds by ramming the head of mouthbrooding females from below and extracting eggs or fry. Teeth are forward-pointing, likely assisting in gripping the female's mouth.
Breeding: Males construct and defend large spawning pits either alongside boulders or on top of large rocks. Mouthbrooding females have been observed alone in shallow water and may guard their offspring after first release. Breeding has not been documented in aquaria.
Aggression: Males are strongly territorial toward conspecifics. Highly predatory and unsuitable for aquaria containing mouthbrooding cichlids.
Special notes: Distinguished from Caprichromis liemi by a much steeper gape inclination (60–80°) and a nearly vertical mouth. Exhibits a characteristic diagonal stripe on the body. Assessed as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List. Rare in the aquarium hobby and not known to have been bred in captivity.

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Photo: © Ad Konings
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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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